**50**

This building was truly dilapidated. The vines had taken root for who knows how many years, covering one wall so densely that no light could pass through. The stairwell was even darker; even during the day, it felt as if a barrier had been cast over it, blocking out the sunlight.

Ning Zhi stepped onto the stairs for the first time and even felt a moment of worry—would he be able to trample this building down by himself?

The building in Pingcheng was constructed by Meilan. Not just the building, but the entire Tonghua Alley was built by her. Even the few lush paulownia trees were transplanted from elsewhere. It was said that afterward, several months were spent aging the roads and buildings to make them look old. The film production was truly a costly and laborious endeavor.

However, the construction still differs from the real thing. Apart from the parts of Tonghua Alley that appear on camera, the rest is empty. If you look closely, it still feels more like a half-finished product.

But this building, this neighborhood, is truly a place full of life. Under the big pine tree at the entrance, thick layers of pine needles have accumulated. Not many people live here; as shown in the film, most are retired elderly men and women. The old lady living downstairs has indeed pushed out a small area in front of her house and planted beautiful flowers.

If the part in Pingcheng is an Eden woven from midsummer and desire in silent stillness, this place feels like they have stepped into the human world, surrounded by noise, becoming ordinary people rushing through life, yet still holding onto their true hearts, never giving up on love and ideals.

When Ning Zhi first arrived here, he quietly complained to Shen Yizhi, “How did Director Mei find such an old and rundown place?”

Shen Yizhi looked around but gave an irrelevant answer: “It’s about to be demolished.”

The demolition decision was made three years ago, but this piece of land is somewhat special, involving many stakeholders, so it took three years to negotiate. It wasn’t until the beginning of the year that the entire resettlement plan was finalized. Two months from now, this place will become a wasteland, and everything that once existed here will disappear.

Shen Yizhi, like a narrator, told Ning Zhi about the fate of this community, the fate of this building, and the fate of the small family of Ruan Yinmeng and Chi Sheng.

Ning Zhi sighed with some regret but also felt it was expected; after all, such an old place definitely couldn’t be preserved.

However, after the next shoot, every time Ning Zhi thought about this place disappearing without a trace, her heart ached so much she could hardly breathe.

This place was like a small haven, where Ruan Yinmeng and Chi Sheng spent their happiest times. They worked hard, but at that time, they were unaware of the hardship; they only felt that being close to each other was the happiest thing.

Ruan Yinmeng was persuaded and decided to take this step, but she refused to accept money from Chi Sheng.

Chi Sheng thought for a moment, took a step back, retrieved the passbook and half of the tutoring wages, leaving the other half, repeating his previous reasoning: “Half for you, half for Grandma.”

Ruan Yinmeng signed up for a tutoring class. She listened very attentively, but with no foundation at all, learning was still too difficult for her. At this time, Chi Sheng transformed into a little teacher, analyzing each knowledge point for her, helping her pick questions, and solidifying the basics.

They also had their quarrels.

Ruan Yinmeng found out that she had taken on another tutoring job, filling all her extracurricular time. She couldn’t help but worry—first, fearing she would get tired, and then worrying it would affect her studies, since art requires a lot of practice.

She talked to Chi Sheng, asking her to quit one of the jobs, but no matter what Chi Sheng said, she refused, which made Ruan Yinmeng so angry that she ignored her for two days.

All these worries and frustrations melted into helplessness when, after the third day’s tutoring class, she saw Chi Sheng standing under the sunset, smiling at her.

They went home together, and Chi Sheng told Ruan Yinmeng her midterm exam results, which were excellent in every subject.

“I know what is most important,” she told Ruan Yinmeng.

But I don’t want you to work so hard. Didn’t I tell you I have savings? You don’t have to push yourself so hard.

They spoke calmly and peacefully.

Chi Sheng sighed: “I understand, but you’re so good to me, I always feel like I have to work harder to keep you by my side.”

Ruan Yinmeng paused in her steps.

A crowd suddenly surged ahead, as if a store was having a grand opening event. The two of them were almost separated by the rush, and Chi Sheng quickly held tightly onto Ruan Yinmeng’s hand.

There were so many people that their shoes were almost stepped off. After finally getting out of the crowd, Chi Sheng patted his chest and laughed, “Why are there so many people? We were almost separated.”

Ruan Yinmeng looked at his face, still showing signs of lingering fear, and suddenly asked, “What if we really get separated?”

Chi Sheng was stunned; she looked at Ruan Yinmeng, whose eyes were as deep as the sea and as vast as the ocean.

Without hesitation, Chi Sheng said, “I will find you, no matter where you are, no matter how long it takes, I will find you.”

The sea in Ruan Yinmeng’s eyes seemed to shimmer with rippling light; she curled her lips and walked forward.

Chi Sheng followed her, her brows and eyes relaxing as she smiled and asked, “My birthday is coming up, my eighteenth birthday, I’m becoming an adult! Do you have a birthday gift for me?”

“Let me think,” Ruan Yinmeng said with a smile.

Chi Sheng grabbed her hand, stepping lively beside her: “You’re lying, you’ve definitely already thought it through! Tell me about it.”

The camera moved behind them, and after filming, Ning Zhi ran to the screen to watch it once. Meilan pulled the shot out long and slow, as if wanting to forever keep that moment, Ruan Yinmeng and Chi Sheng, in that gentle and lingering time.

Not just this scene, almost every moment after leaving Pingcheng was portrayed both slowly and distantly.

This is probably about the language of cinematography, which Ning Zhi doesn’t quite understand. But even though she doesn’t understand filming, she has watched quite a few movies and knows that these scenes are long and trivial for the whole film, greatly disrupting the movie’s rhythm.

She sat with Shen Yizhi in front of the old lady’s small flower garden downstairs, cooling off, and brought up the matter.

“This hardly even feels like a movie anymore.” She softly complained to Shen Yizhi, glancing around as she spoke, afraid of being overheard.

“What does it feel like then? A TV drama?” Shen Yizhi laughed at her remark.

Ning Zhi thought for a moment and shook her head. “Not like a TV drama either.”

In the later stages, the footage will be edited and music will be added. The final effect will be beyond what can be imagined now. But as an actress, Ning Zhi felt during the filming process that she was not shooting a movie, nor a TV drama, but rather…

She thought for a while and finally came up with a description: “It’s like making a record, recording this story buried in the passage of time, capturing all the fragmented and inconspicuous moments, because every second is precious.”

After she finished speaking, she suddenly fell silent.

The flowers in the small garden bloomed especially brightly, gently swaying in the afternoon breeze, leisurely and carefree, completely unaware that the old building behind them, this outdated neighborhood, would soon disappear.

Shen Yizhi looked at her with suddenly downcast eyes: “It’s almost over.”

Ning Zhi didn’t react immediately, unsure whether Shen Yizhi meant the movie was almost over or if everything here was about to end.

She thought for a moment, and only when Shen Yizhi asked, “Do you want to try making movies again in the future?” did she realize he was referring to the former.

The filming of “Chi Sheng Yin Meng” had already entered its final stages.

Ning Zhi didn’t have time to answer Shen Yizhi’s question; her mind was filled with only one thought: it’s almost over.

Using the movie as a cover, the days of recklessly expressing love to Shen Yizhi under another identity, and recklessly accepting her love, were coming to an end.

Shen Yizhi looked at Ning Zhi’s lowered eyes and sensed her sadness. Just as she was about to say something, Ning Zhi raised her eyes and looked straight at her: “I don’t want to think about it anymore.”

Shen Yizhi didn’t expect her to make such a decisive decision. After considering for a moment, she said, “The entire crew has a very high opinion of you. Meilan told me she thinks you’re a naturally gifted actor. Don’t you want to try a little more?”

“I’m not a naturally gifted actor,” Ning Zhi retorted, muttering to herself that she was mostly just playing herself.

Her whole demeanor wilted, listless, as if exhausted by the wind, no longer as lively as when she was complaining earlier.

Shen Yizhi couldn’t help it and raised his hand to touch her forehead.

The cool fingertips touched her forehead briefly, lingering for a moment before pulling away. Ning Zhi looked up, feeling a faint electric current where Shen Yizhi had touched, making her forehead slightly warm.

“What are you doing?” She masked her fluttering heart with displeasure, casting a faint glance at Shen Yizhi.

With that, the listless expression vanished from her face, replaced by a livelier look.

Shen Yizhi said softly, “Don’t be upset.”

Just this simple sentence actually made Ning Zhi feel a little better. She whispered, “None of your business.”

But the corners of her mouth slightly lifted.

The sound of a door opening came from behind. The two of them turned their heads together, and the old lady living on the first floor came out.

She was very old, with graying hair and a hunched back, but surprisingly still spirited. She held a pair of scissors and trimmed the dead branches and withered leaves in her little flower garden.

Shen Yizhi and Ning Zhi stood up. The old lady saw them, smiled, and gave a nod as a greeting. They politely nodded back.

The old lady picked two of the largest and best-bloomed flowers and handed them to them.

Chi Sheng’s eighteenth year began with a thrilling intensity.

That day, she had no classes during the first period and stayed in the dormitory to study on her own.

The weather was heavily overcast, the sky filled with dark clouds, but the rain was hesitant to fall, leaving a lingering sense of unease.

Chi Sheng didn’t know if it was the weather or something else affecting her, but she stared at her book for quite a while without absorbing much.

Then, she received a call from her grandmother.

Grandmother chuckled on the other end and said, “Chi Sheng, are you up yet?”

Only then did Chi Sheng smile. The other roommates were still sleeping. She stood up, walked to the balcony, closed the door, and then said, “Time to get up.”

She often kept in touch with her family, but every time she would carefully ask about her grandmother’s health and how things were at home.

After a long chat about family matters, Grandma sighed, both happy and emotional: “Eighteen years old, now you’ve really grown up.”

Chi Sheng’s smile deepened, just as she was about to speak, her vision blurred, and an object fell straight down from the building opposite. Her pupils contracted; she almost thought she was mistaken, but the next second—

“Bang—” A muffled sound as the object hit the ground, scarlet blood flowing from his body, heavy, silent, and despairingly pooling everywhere.

In that moment, all sounds vanished. She lost track of time before finally regaining consciousness.

“Chi Sheng.” Grandma called out on the other end of the phone, not hearing her speak.

Chi Sheng’s lips and tongue were dry, steadying her voice: “Grandma, the teacher called me, I need to go check.”

She spoke quickly, sounding urgent. Grandma didn’t think much and just said, “Okay, go quickly.”

Chi Sheng hung up the phone, immediately dialed 120, then ran downstairs.

The ambulance arrived quickly, and the police came as well. A crowd gathered around, and the police set up a cordon.

Chi Sheng was in the crowd, seeing the doctor shake his head, and watching the person being carried onto a stretcher, covered with a white cloth.

No hope.

School is the fastest place for news to spread. By the end of the second period, the news about the boy who jumped off the building had spread everywhere, and everyone was talking about it.

Chi Sheng kept his head down studying until he heard—

“I heard he was gay.”

She stopped writing in confusion. It was the first time she had heard these three words. She had never come across this term before, but the moment she heard it, she instinctively understood that this taboo word, as if it could not see the light, was related to her, and she instinctively rejected it.

But throughout the entire next day, the word kept echoing relentlessly around her. Countless people were saying it, all in hushed tones, vividly, as if speaking of some secret, with disdain, with a condescending contempt.

No one cared that it was a human life.

Chi Sheng hurried home only after finishing his evening class.

Ruan Yinmeng didn’t get off work early either. As soon as Chi Sheng walked in, he saw the birthday cake on the table.

She walked to the kitchen door, where Ruan Yinmeng was still busy inside.

The lingering rain didn’t start until evening, and when it did, it poured down heavily.

The rain pattered loudly against the windows and roof. Ruan Yinmeng paused for a moment, listened to the sound of the rain, then turned and asked, “It’s raining, did you get wet?”

Chi Sheng shook his head, walked over, and hugged her.

Ruan Yinmeng hurriedly turned off the stove. Her hands were covered in oil, so she couldn’t hold her; instead, she pressed her face against her ear.

“What’s wrong?” Her voice was gentle.

Chi Sheng’s heart pounded fiercely. In his mind was the tragic scene of that person falling to the ground, the harsh and disdainful remarks, and Ruan Yinmeng’s gentle voice at this moment.

I’m not afraid!

With her heart pounding like a drum, she resolutely told herself, holding Ruan Yinmeng tightly and kissing her passionately.